I'll ditch Oz Open for birth: Murray

Andy Murray says he's ready to leave the Australian Open early so as not to miss the birth of his first child.

His wife Kim Sears isn't expecting until mid-February, but Murray tells the Daily Mail newspaper in Wednesday's edition that he's prepared to withdraw from the first major of the year if she goes into labor prematurely.

"I'd go home. For sure, yes," Murray said. "I want to make sure at the beginning I am there as much as I can be to try and help out, just be there for whatever is really required of me."

The Australian Open, where he's been runner-up four times, runs from January 18-31 at Melbourne Park.

Regardless of his result there, Murray says he's taking all of February off, and won't play again until the first round of the Davis Cup, in early March at home against Japan.

Britain will be defending the trophy that Murray led them to last month.

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"I am excited about that," he said. "People have asked me, 'Do you think it will be a distraction?' It might be a distraction but it's a good distraction.

"It's actually not good to all the time be just concentrating on tennis and your training all of the time. It is important ... when you finish on the practice court, be able to just go away and be with your friends and your family."

He also reunited in Dubai this week with coach Amelie Mauresmo, and her first child Aaron, whom she gave birth to in August. Murray hadn't seen her since Wimbledon.

"I really enjoy working with her," he said. "The last six months not seeing her, it's just nice to have her back as part of the team, and get that continuity going again."